Communication at Life.Church Online is primarily written, so it lacks many of the nonverbal cues we typically use in face-to-face conversations, such as facial expressions and tone of voice. Check out the tips below to become a pro at communicating with excellence online!

🚫ALL CAPS

TYPING LIKE THIS can come across as virtual yelling, so use standard capitalization and be sure your Caps Lock is off. Pro tip: our message notes are typically in all caps, so it’s best not to copy and paste them into the chat.

 

👀 Punctuation

Proper punctuation prevents misunderstandings, helps Google Translate accurately translate our messages into other languages, and clarifies meaning for non-native English speakers. 

😄 Emojis

Written communication can sometimes seem emotionless or impersonal, but it doesn’t have to. To convey joy, sorrow, or virtually any other emotion, try adding some emojis to your posts! Here’s how you can do that on a Mac or a PC. 

⛪️ Slang and Churchy Words

We should avoid using slang or churchy words that can cause confusion, such as “What’s crackin’?” or “sanctification.” The best approach is to use simple language and provide explanations for any words that unchurched guests might not understand.

👋🏻 @ Tagging

You wouldn’t someone who just said in chat that their dog died to see your “That’s amazing! Praise God!” comment and think it was meant for them. @ tagging helps make it clear exactly who you’re talking to in chat.

Remember, in the online realm, our communication truly is our ministry—that’s why we strive to make it as excellent as possible. Learn from your teammates, have fun, and never forget our mission: to lead people to become fully devoted followers of Christ!